Radio program selector



April 18, 1939. PRESCOTT 2,154,994

RADIO PROGRAM SELECTOR Filed Sept. 20, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR April 18, 1939. P R, PRESC TT 2,154,994

RADIO PROGRAM SELECTOR Filed Sept. 20, 1938 3 Sheeis-Sheet 2 mmmwm .97 fazlziizrmswiz;

INVENTOR April 18, 1939. PRESCOTT 2,154,994

RADIO PROGRAM SELECTOR Filed Sept. 20', 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 3 L m3 m7 2 INVENToR WITNKSS ATTORNEYS Rieman -1a, 1939 s PATENT ornca aapro mom smac'roa PaulYR. Prescott, Loganlport, Ind. Application-September :0. ma, Serial No. 230,869

8 Claims.

This invention relates to radio pro am selectors and has for an object to provide simplified apparatus whereby one may select a list of radio programs in which he is interested and set the instrument according to the times'during which the programs are to be given so that the desired stations are automatically tuned in during the a entire 24 hour day without requiring further attention; p

The distinctive structure for carrying out the above general object of the invention includes a clock adapted tostrike quarter hours, a contact "carried by'the striking arm of the clock and connected .to the motor shaft for stopping the "motor, a switchboard having thereon a plurality "of manually operable dial switches representing quarter hour periods; and, means connected to the motor shaft for completing a circuit through any one of the closed dial switches torcontrol a tuning relay and a power relay for tuning in and out selected programs.

f With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a switch board having mounted thereon manually operated dial switches, one for each quarter hour through the 24 hours, adapted to be selectively set to tune in a selected broadcasting station at a predetermined time.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and reading from left to right, showing the hour selector switch, resetting switches for the power relay and for thetuning circuit relay, motor relay reset switch. quarter hour selector switches. and brush contacts for the quarter hour selector switches electrically connected to the hour selector switch. l

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line of Figure 2 showing the reverse 'side of the hour selector switch, contact arm, and ratchet device for advancing the arm one step each hour.

Figure 4 isa cross sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 2 showing the motor, worm piniongworm gear, and motor relay reset switch.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line l5 of Figure 2, showing one of the quarter hour selector switches.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connectors of the various devices of the radio program selector.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the switch for closing the power relay and tuning relay resetting circuits.

The switchboard Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I!) designates a switchboard, shown best in Figure 1, and mounted thereon are program selector switches H of the dial type arranged in rows vertically and horizontally, there being 24 vertical rows of switches representing hour periods, there being four horizontal rows representing consecutive quarter hour periods of each hour, making 96 switches in all. These switches, in the present embodiment each have four contacts I2, best shown in Figure 6, corresponding to different broadcasting stations, although as many stations as desired may be represented by contacts, and an oif contact l3,,the movable switch arm ll of the switch being placed in engagement with the contact representing any desired station or being turned to the oil! position when no station is wanted at that particular time period represented by any dial switch. The device may be constructed to control tuning for less than 24 hours.

The motor and control relay therefor By now referring to Figures 4 and 6 it will be seen that an electric motor I5 is secured to the base It of the, cabinetup'on which the switchboard is mounted. The motor is energized each quarter hour of the day and night through the medium of a conventional clock 5 adapted to strike the quarter hours and having a contact I! on the striker I8 which engages and closes a cir-. cuit closer' [9 connected by conductor wires 20 and 2| to the low voltage secondary winding of a transformer 22 the primary winding of which is connected to the volt serviceline 23. When the circuit closer i9 is operated, a relay 24 connected in the low voltagecir'cuit 20-.2l, is energized and the contact points 25 of therelay are engaged to close the motor circuit comprising the wires 26 and 21, see Figure 6, to the service line.

The motor rotates a main shaft 28, see Figures 2 and 4, through a quarter turn on thequarter hour, that is, one full revolution each hour. The shaft is driven by the motor through the medium of a worm gear 29 keyed to the shaft and a pinion 30 carried by the motor shaft, as shown in Figure 4.

To halt the shaft at the end of each quarter revolution the gear 29 is provided with four pins 3i spaced at 90 degrees apart on the side of the gear. A motor relay reset switch 32 is mounted on a bracket arm 33 which rises from the base i6. Assuming the rotation of the gear to be in the direction of the arrowhead shown in Figure 4, at the end of a quarter turn, the pin in rear of the arrowhead will have advanced into contact with the movable arm of the switch and will move the switch to circuit closing position.

The switch 32 controls a circuit comprising wires 34 and 35, see Figure 6, having an electromagnet 36 connected therein which when energized, attracts the armature of the relay 24 to open the motor circuit at the contacts 25 and stop the motor and consequently halt the shaft 28 which in the meantime has operated various electrical devices to tune in the desired station as will now be described.

The quarter hour selector switch By referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the shaft 28 is journaled in a, bearing bracket 31 and is fixed in one end of a sleeve 38 which rotates as a unit with the gear and has a stub shaft 39 fixed in the other end and journaled in a bearing bracket 40. The sleeve shaft 28 simultaneously actuates a plurality of quarter hour selector switches 42, of the ignition timer type, one of which is shown in Figure 5. There is one of these switches for each hour period, making 24 in all, corresponding to the 24 hours of the day. Each switch has an annular casing provided with four equally spaced switch contacts 43 corresponding to quarter hour time periods. The casing is secured to spaced bars 44 carried by the bearing bracket 40 and a post 45 which rises from the base l6, as shown in Figure 1. The spring pressed circuit closing arm 46 of each switch is pivotally mounted on a metal sleeve 41 which is fixed to the sleeve shaft 38 which latter is formed of insulating material and houses the wires 50 which supply current to all of the quarter hour selector switches. As best shown in Figure 6 the four equally spaced contacts 43 of each V hour selector switch 42 are connected to the movable switch arms ll of the four dial switches I I of a corresponding hour time period. The four stationary contacts of each of said dial switches are connected by wires 5i and 52 to respective tuning relays 53, which will be presently described.

Brush contacts and hour selector switch A plurality of brush contacts, 24 in all, are provided each comprising a commutator ring 54 which is mounted upon an insulating cylinder 54 which is fixed to the sleeve shaft 39. Each ring is connected to one of the current supply wires ill of a respective quarter hour selector switch. Brushes 55, carried by one of the bars 44, have wiping engagement with the rings. The brushes switchboard M. An annular series of switch contacts 6i project through the disc, concentric with the axis of the disc, there being 24 of these contacts corresponding to the 24 hours of a day. The conductor wires 51 of respective brushes 5! are connected to respective ones of these contacts 6i.

A step rotated shaft 82 is engaged loosely through the center of the disc 58 and is journaled at one end in a bearing 63 mounted on the post 60. The other end of the shaft projects through the switchboard and is equipped with a knob 64 to permit the shaft to-be manually turned to synchronize the program selector switch with local time. A circuit closing arm 65 is fixed to the shaft and is provided with a spring pressed plunger 66 which has wiping engagement with the contacts 6i when the arm is rotated, one step each hour, to circuit closing position with the contacts Bl successively. A helical spring 61 is sleeved on the shaft 62 between the base of the circuit closing arm 65 and the bearing 63 to frictionally engage both of the latter parts and halt rotation of the shaft sharply after each step rotation.

Current is supplied to the circuit closing arm 65 through the medium of a conductor wire 68 which is connected to the bearing 83 and to the secondary winding of the step down transformer 22, as best shown in Figure 6. When the circuit closing arm is in circuit closing position with one of the contacts 6|, current is supplied to a respective quarter hour selector switch 42, and from the latter to the four respective dial switches Ii and then, should one of the said four dial switches be closed, to the respective tuning relay 53 as will presently appear.

Ratchet drive for hour selector switch The shaft 62 of the hour selector switch is equipped with a ratchet gear 68, best shown in Figure 3, having 24 teeth, one for each hour of the day. The shaft 28, which as heretofore stated is turned through a quarter revolution each V hour, is provided on the end opposite the quarter hour selector switches 55 with a metal collar 10 having an eccentrically disposed pin Ii projecting from the face thereof and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet gear and impart step rotation to the shaft 62. The pin engages a tooth of the ratchet gear on the hour to advance the circuit closing arm from circuit closing position with one of the contacts ii at the end of an hour period to circuit closing position with the next succeeding contact ti and allow current to flow to the respective quarter hour selector switch of the hour just beginning. The pin II travels a circular path concentric with the shaft 28 as indicated by the arrowheads in Figure 3, and is out of engagement with the ratchet gear at all times except once during each hour to impart one step actuation to the hour selector switch shaft 62, or revolution, while the quarter hour selector swi ch shaft 38 is being moved through four step actuations, or one revolution.

Time synchronized dial A clock dial 12 is provided with a hub II which is fixed to the hour selector switch shaft 62. The dial is provided with time designating numerals 14 which are visible through a sight opening ll in the switchboard as best shown in Figure 1. The shaft 62 may be manually turned through the medium of the knob 64 to set the device to display the correct local time through the sight Open!!! As shown in Figure 6, there are four tunin relays IS in the present embodiment of the invention, corresponding to four broadcasting stations from which the operator desires to receive programs. However, as many tuning relays may be employed as desired and the contacts I! on the dial switches II increased accordingly. One end of the coil oi each relay is connected to a respective one of the wires 52 which leads to each contact I! corresponding to a particular station such as for example WLW, on all of the dial switches II. The other end of the coil is connected to a wire I0 which is connected to one end of the secondary winding of. the transformer II.

Each relay is provided with a spring pressed pivoted armature 1! which in normal position holds two switch contacts ill in open circuit posi-- tion. One of these contacts is mounted on a pivoted spring pressed arm 10 which is received in a hook 00 formed on the end of the armature II. The arm I0 is connected by a wire M to a respective tuning condenser 02 which is connected by a wire 03 to one of the circuit wires 04 of the tuning circuit of the receiving set. The other contact I0 is connected by a wire 00 to the other circuit wire 00 of the tuning circuit.

Assume one of the dial switches II to be set by the operator 'to closed circuit position on a selected program contact I2. When the time arrives for that program to be heard the corresponding quarter hour selector switch will be actuated to closed circuit position, as previously described, and current will flow through the quarter hour selector switch, through the dial switch and through the tuning relay to energize the tuning relay and dislodge the hook 00. The circuit closing arm I0 immediately moves the contacts 10 to circuit closing position to energize the condenser 02 and tuning circuit 04-40 of the receiving set. Thus during a fifteen minute period the desired program will be tuned in and at the end of this period the time controlled switch I0 will be operated to close the motor circult, the motor then turning the shaft 38 to energize relay resetting devices, presently described, and open the tuning circuit and power .circuit of the receiving set to tune out the time period. The circuit closing arm 48 of the quarter hour selector switch only has momentary wiping engagement with the contacts 00 and then passes 01! the contact to. momentarily energize the tuning relay, thus economizing in current.

Power relays There are four power relays 01, see Figure 6, connected in parallel with respective ones of the relays I3, and energized simultaneously with the energizing of the tuning relays 63. The power relays have a common spring pressed armature 00 adapted to be moved when any one of the power relays is energized. The armature terminates in a hook 00 which is normally lodged underneath a spring pressed pivoted circuit closing arm M which carries a switch contact 02 and which is connected to the 110 volt power circuit of the set through the medium of a conductor wire. A stationary switch contact as a connected by a-wire 00 to the power circuit 20. When the armature 00 is attracted the hook 00 is disengaged from the circuit closing arm 0i and the controlling spring of this arm moves the contact 02 into engagement with the contact ll and closes the power circuit to the set at the same time the tuning circuit is closed.

Resetting devices for the tuning and power relays By referring to Figures 2 and 7 it will be seen that a relay resetting switch 00 is fixed to the 96 and when the disc is turned in the direction of the arrowhead shown in Figure 6 .one of the contacts 91 will first engage the brush I00 and subsequently will engage the brush I0 I.

The brush I00 is connected by a wire I02 to one end of' an electro-magnet coil I00 shown in Figure 6. The other end of the coil is connected by a wire I04 to the beforementioned wire I6 which supplies current from the transformer to the tuning and power relays. The magnet I0! is providezl with a pivoted angular armature I00 one end of which is engaged underneath the circuit closing arm SI of the power relays. Aspreviously mentioned when the motor turns the shaft 00 the power circuit will be opened to tune out a program and toaccomplish this the brush I00 will be engaged by one of the contacts 01 on the resetthe electro-magnet I 00 whereupon the armature I05 will be attracted and will impinge against the circuit closing arm 0i andopen the power circuit to the receiving set at the contacts 02 and 94. Immediately the controlling spring of the armature 00 of the power relays 01 will engage the hook 90 underneath the circuit closin arm 0i and hold the power circuit open.

The brush IIII is connected by a wire I00 to one I end of an electro-magnet coii I01, shown in Figure 6. The other end of the coil is connected by a wire I08 to the beforementioned wire I0 which supplies current from the transformer to the tuning and power relays. The electro-magnet is provided with a normally gravitated armature I00 which is provided with a plurality of fingers IIO which underlie the circuit closing arms I0 of the tuning relays. As also previously mentioned when the motor turns the shaft the tuning circuit will be opened to tune out a program and to accomplish this the brush IOI will be engaged by one of the contacts on the resetting switch 00 and will close the circuit through the tuning relay resetting magnet I01, whereupon the armature I09 will move the fingers IIO against the circuit closing arm I0 and open the tuning circircuit closing arms I9 and hold the tuning circults open.

Operation The operator turns selected ones of the program selector switches to circuit closing position ting switch 00 and will close the circuit through at the selected station contacts, for example, he

' may wish to hear WGN at 1 o'clock, WLW at 1:15, WOR. at 1:30, and no station from 1:45 to 2:00. He may then set the program selector switches accordingly, as indicated in Figure l, for the hour beginning at 1 o'clock.

At 1 oclock the striker I l of the clock will close the switch I! to operate the motor controlling relay 24 and close the motor circuit at the contacts 25. The motor turns the gear 29 and shaft 28 together'with all of the quarter hour selector switches through a quarter revolution at the end of which the motor circuit is opened at the motor relay switch 32, and also one of the quarter hour selector switches, corresponding to the program selector switch set at 1 o'clock, will have moved to circuit closing position closing the circuit of the tuning circuit relay corresponding to the WLW station and energizing the tuning circuit of the instrument to receive this station. Simultaneously the power relay corresponding to the station WLW will be energized to close the power circuit to the receiving set.

The station WLW will be heard from 1 o'clock to 1:15 and at the end of this fifteen minute period the motor will be again started to turn the shaft 28. When this occurs the reset electromagnets of both the tuning relay and the power relay will be operated by the reset switch 96 to open the tuning circuit and power circuit of the station WLW and reset both relays. This cycle of movement is repeated until the selected list of stations have been tuned in and out during the 24 hour period.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

l. A radio program selector including a clock having a striking arm adapted to strike quarter hours, an electric motor, a shaft connected to the motor to be driven thereby, a source of electricity, a circuit for the motor connected to the source of electricity, a relay in said circuit, a switch in said circuit adapted to be closed by said striking arm to energize the relay and start the motor, a switch connected to said shaft and connected to the relay for de-energizing the relay to open the motor circuit and restrict rotation of the shaft to quarterturns, a switchboard, a plurality of manually operable dial switches on said switchboard each representing a respective quarter hour period, each dial switch having switch contacts representing respective broadcasting stations selectively receivable during the quarter hour period, tuning circuits, relays controlling the tuning circuits connected to respective ones of the dial switch contacts, rotary quarter hour switches connected to the shaft and each having contacts electrically connected to the contacts of a respective dial switch for completing one of said tuning circuits through a respective dial switch, a rotary hour selector switch connected to the source of electricity and having contacts each representing an hour period electrically connected to respective ones of the quarter hour switches, and ratchet means connected to said shaft for imparting step advance to the hour 0 selector switch each hour.

2. A radio program selector including a quarter hour time responsive switch adapted to be closed each quarter hour, an electric motor, a'source of electricity, a circuit for the motor connected to the source of electricity and to the switch for starting the motor each quarter hour, a relay in said circuit, a shaft connected to the motor to be driven thereby, a switch connected to the shaft and to the relay for controlling the motor to rotate the shaft in quarter turns, a plurality of manually operable dial switches each representing a respective quarter hour period, each dial switch having switch contacts representing respective broadcasting stations selectively receivable during the quarter hour period, tuning circuits for a receiving set, relays controlling the tuning circuits connected to respective ones of the dial switch contacts, relays in the tuning circuits, rotary quarter hour switches connected to the shaft and each having contacts electrically connected to the contacts of a respective dial switch for completing one of said tuning circuits through a respective dial switch each quarter hour, a rotary hour selector switch connected to the source of electricity and having contacts each representing an hour period electrically connected to respective ones of the quarter hour switches, ratchet means connected to said shaft for imparting step advance to the hour selector switch each hour, a power circuit for a receiving set, and relays in the power circuit connected in parallel with the tuning circuit relays for supplying power to the receiving set simultaneously with energizing of any one of the tuning circuit relays.

3. A radio program selector including a quarter hour time responsive switch, an electric motor, a source of electricity, a circuit for the motor connected to the source of electricity and to the switch, the switch starting the motor each quarter hour, a shaft connected to the motor to be driven thereby, a switch connected to the shaft and connected in the motor circuit for controlling the motor to rotate the shaft in steps of a quarter turn each, a plurality of manually operable dial switches each representing a respective quarter hour period, each dial switch having switch contacts representing respective broad casting stations selectively receivable during the quarter hour period, tuning circuits for a receiving set, relays controlling the tuning circuits connected to respective ones of the dial switch contacts, relays in the tuning circuits, relay resetting means for de-energizing the tuning circuits to turn 01! programs, a switch connected to the shaft and to the source of electricity, the last named switch being electrically connected to said relay reset means for actuating said means to turn ofl a selected program at the end of a quarter hour period, rotary quarter hour switches connected to the shaft and each having contacts electrically connected to the contacts of a respective dial switch for completing one of said tuning circuits through a respective dial switch each quarter hour, a rotary hour selector switch connected to the source of electricity and having contacts each representing an hour period electrically connected to respective ones of the quarter hour switches, and means connected to said shaft for imparting step advance to the hour selector switch each hour.

PAUL R. PRESCOTT. 

